A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Bali vs. Pingyao for Vacations, Tours, and Honeymoons

Should you visit Bali or Pingyao?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Bali and Pingyao can help you decide which place is right for you.

Where Should I go: Bali or Pingyao?

Bali

Known as the "Island of the Gods," it's not difficult to see why the Gods would want to set up shop in Bali. With a beautifully diverse landscape of hills, mountains, coastlines, beaches, vibrant rice fields and volcanic hillsides, you'll easily go into sensory overload.

Bali is home to 4 million people who all hold true to a deeply spiritual and unique culture. With champion surfing, world class resorts and challenging hiking trails, this Indonesian island accommodates travelers from every walk of life. It's often called, "paradise on earth, " and no one disagrees.

Pingyao

Pingyao is a small city in the Shanxi Province of China, dating back over 2700 years. The city is most famous for their old town, which is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town is one of the best preserved ancient walled cities in the world dating back to the Ming and Qing Dynasties.

The climate in Pingyao is influenced by monsoons, and therefore gets hot and humid summers and chillier springs. Autumn is a great time to visit as temperatures are fairly mild-in the 50-60's Fahrenheit- and you can avoid the heavy rains of summer. Winter is also a pleasant time to visit, especially since temperatures tend not to dip below 30 and there is not much snow or bad weather.

For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Tours for Seniors to Indonesia, The Best G Adventures Tours to Indonesia, The Best Historical Tours in China, and The Best 10-Day Tours in China.


Which place is cheaper, Pingyao or Bali?

These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.

The average daily cost (per person) in Bali is $85, while the average daily cost in Pingyao is $69. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Bali and Pingyao in more detail.



Accommodation
  • Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one person
    Bali $40
    Pingyao $23
  • Accommodation Typical double-occupancy room
    Bali $80
    Pingyao $46
Compare Hotels in Bali and Pingyao

Looking for a hotel in Bali or Pingyao? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.

Hotels in Bali


Hotels in Pingyao


Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.


Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Bali Hotel Prices.

Local Transportation
  • Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.
    Bali $8.68
    Pingyao $13
Typical Local Transportation Prices in Bali

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Bali:


  • Motorbike Rental
    $2.98

Hired Cars and Shuttles in Bali

Some specific examples of transportation prices in Bali:

  • Try find your better than us! Airport transfer service in Denpasar HTL-APT(DPS) : $8.88
  • Nusa Dua Departure transfer to Bali Airport International (DPS): $13
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Denpasar International Airport to Nusa Dua Area: $15
  • Denpasar Departure Transfer: Hotel to Airport: $25
  • Bali DPS Airport Private Transfer from-to Uluwatu & South Kuta: $31
  • Private Departure Transfer: Hotel to Bali Airport: $32
  • Private Arrival Transfer: Bali Airport to Hotel: $32
  • Ride Bali ATV Adventure Ticket And Transfer: $34
  • Bali Nusa Dua Combo Parasailing And Snorkeling Include Transfer: $35
  • Bali Parasailing Adventure with Including Hotel Transfer: $45
  • Bali to/from Gili Air: Fast Boat with Optional Bali Transfer: $48
  • Fast Boat Transfers between Bali and Lombok: $48

Typical Local Transportation Prices in Pingyao

Below are a few samples from actual travelers for transportation costs in Pingyao:


  • Taxi to Train Station
    $1.40

Is it cheaper to fly into Bali or Pingyao?

Prices for flights to both Pingyao and Bali change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.





Food
  • Food Meals for one day
    Bali $34
    Pingyao $34
Typical Food Prices in Bali

Some typical examples of dining costs in Bali are as follows:


  • Coffee
    $1.19
  • Lunch for Two
    $13
  • Bali Cafe for Two
    $26
  • Lunch for Two
    $7.75
  • Lunch for 2
    $8.59
  • Dinner for 2
    $9.42

Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Bali

Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Bali.

  • Romantic Seafood Dinner under sunset jimbaran Beach: $36
  • Romantic Seafood Dinner at Jimbaran: $40
  • South Bali Beach Tour, Uluwatu Sunset Kecak Fire Dance & Seafood Barbeque Dinner: $50
  • Kekeb Cooking Class at Nusa Dua: $55
  • Bali Famous Beach, Kecak Dance, Uluwatu Temple, Sunset, Dinner: $65
  • Bali Street Food Tour: $65
  • Sidemen Cooking Class: $77
  • Pure Bali Village Experience, Cooking & Jamu Class+VIP Transfer: $89

Typical Food Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of dining costs in Pingyao are as follows:


  • Casual Lunch (for 2)
    $5.05
  • Mango Juice
    $0.70

Entertainment
  • Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.
    Bali $10
    Pingyao $19
Typical Entertainment Prices in Bali

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Bali are as follows:


  • Spa for Two
    $52
  • Snorkelling Trip
    $12
  • Cooking School
    $27

Tours and Activities in Bali

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Bali are as follows:

  • Kecak and Fire Dance Ticket at Uluwatu Temple: $14
  • Best of Ubud Full Day Private Guided Tour: $14
  • Tickets for the Kecak Dance Performance at Melasti Beach: $15
  • Tickets for the Kecak Dance Performance at Uluwatu Temple: $17
  • Uluwatu Kecak Tickets A Spectacular Show: $17
  • Besakih Mother Temple Tukad Cepung East Bali Private Guided Tour: $23
  • Alas Harum Bali Cretya Tegalalang Rice Terrace Ubud Swing Ticket: $25
  • Private Uluwatu Temple and Kecak Fire Dance Evening Tour in Jimbaran Bay: $27
  • Bali Quad Bike ATV Rides in Uluwatu Experiences: $28
  • Gunung Kawi Rice Terrace Swing And Waterfall Private Guided Tour : $28
  • Uluwatu Temple Entry and Kecak Fire Dance Ticket: $29
  • Uluwatu & Kecak Dance Tour: $29

Typical Entertainment Prices in Pingyao

Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Pingyao are as follows:


  • All Day Bike Rental (for 2)
    $2.80
  • Temple Entrance Fee (for 2)
    $7.01
  • Bike Parking Fee (for 2)
    $0.56

Tours and Activities in Pingyao

Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Pingyao are as follows:

  • Shuanglin Temple Tour or Entry Ticket Only Option: $18
  • Pingyao Ancient City Full-Day Walking Tour: $145
  • From Taiyuan: UNESCO Historic Temples & Grand Mansions Tour: $276

Alcohol
  • Alcohol Drinks for one day
    Bali $3.07
    Pingyao $14


When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Bali and Pingyao, we can see that Bali is more expensive. And not only is Pingyao much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Pingyao would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Pingyao and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Bali would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Bali than you might in Pingyao.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Bali Expensive? and Is Pingyao Expensive?.


Which is Bigger, Bali or Pingyao?

Bali has a larger population, and is about 10 times larger than the population of Pingyao. When comparing the sizes of Bali and Pingyao, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.